I Thought About It
by J.J. Mathews
Summary: Castle didn't only think about hiring a bodyguard for Alexis as stated on "Target" He hired one, and that changed the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Denouement**

Another day. Another cup of coffee. Another crime scene. Another conversation with Beckett. About Alexis this time.

Three bodies. One way back into the alley. The other two were still inside a crashed van peppered with bullet holes.

"Hey, three victims. A witness says that guy was shooting at the van this two were driving. As you can see he hit them but they still ran over him," Esposito said.

His phone buzzed. That was new. Castle fished it out of his pocket. A message.

It didn't make sense. Not because the message was only a word. Not because that word was Denouement, but because of what that one word on his phone meant.

His stunned brain registered the word Columbia. Alexis studies there. His fingers hovered over the screen of his phone. He was itching to call Alexis to hear her voice. He knew the protocol Alexis would not be able to pick up.

Kate said something. "What?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes. I was not calling Alexis or anything." _Damn! That was not the right thing to say. Remember the protocol Rick will you!_

Kate looked sceptic but didn't push him and the routine continued. Kate gave Ryan and Esposito orders. Ryan was already on it. They had a lead.

Another day the fact that that their suspect was called Bram Stoker would have amused him. Today it irked him, but perhaps he was only irked because he wouldn't be able to know anything until the next day.

On their way to Columbia Castle tried to collect himself and focus. He had to act as if everything was normal. That was his part.

He anchored himself thinking about the incredible coincidence of having a Bram Stoker as a suspect. He even cracked a joke.

_Well done. _He thought. It didn't help him when he remembered that, that was all he could do to help at the moment.

Bram Stoker, as it turned out, liked to flirt with his students. The victim that was also the shooter had not liked that. He had even threatened him. Stoker had given them a list of said students. Another baby step to solve the case.

It was going to slow. It angered him. He wanted the fucking phone to buzz with another message. It wouldn't until tomorrow and he couldn't even go home and drink himself stupid. He had to keep appearances, that was his role.

At least the case was interesting. Their victim had been part of the Special Forces of his country. He would have never guessed that. He was too young. Another day thousands of theories and ideas would have sprung on his mind. Today it annoyed him. If someone so prepared had died...

No his was a professional. He had made sure of it. Castle was sure he was taking care of things. And yet fear crept on his mind. The emergency protocol that had been activated that morning required twenty-four hours of silence. A lot could happen in twenty-four hours.

Ryan called them. Their shooter victim was spying on a girl called Sara El-Masri. She had been reported as missing by her parents. The FBI thought she had been kidnapped the man they had found might have been part of the kidnapping.

Kidnapped. The universe was fucking with him.

_Keep it together. Keep it together. That is your part. Keep it together and by tomorrow morning everything will be alright. _

They called Sara's parents and the FBI joined them. Their victim was Sara's bodyguard.

_And he failed. Someone so prepared..._ He didn't know anything about the person that was handling his problem. His hand searched his phone on his pocked. He yearned to call Alexis. He could dial her number without looking at the screen, but he shouldn't, couldn't.

Sara was twenty just as Alexis. Even as he decided to prepare himself a cup of coffee he couldn't stop looking at Sara's parents.

"You ok?" Kate asked him.

"Just...just thinking about what I would feel," he said. At least they could show it he couldn't afford that luxury.

"Who hires an ex special forces soldier to watch his daughter anyway?"

"I have. Thought about it."

.

* * *

He _had _thought about it, long and hard. It had been before he met Beckett. Four months before the release of the last derrick Storm. Rumours of the ending had leaked.

Richard castle stared at the letter in his hand. Words in capital letters screamed at him. He had received dozens of letters like this one since last week when the ending of his last book had leaked.

This one however was different. Threats were and occupational hazard of being a famous mystery writer, most of those fans didn't want to hurt him they just liked him so much that they were creepy about it. It was something similar to seeing a puppy so cute you wanted to squeeze it to death in a literal way.

But this person knew things. Names. His address. Whoever it was named Alexis. That made his blood run cold. He had already reported it to the police, contacted a bodyguard agency that would send someone the next day and bit the head of his editor and the publisher off for the leak.

And yet he was still anxious he needed something more. He put the letter on his desk and started looking through the drawers for the one business card he knew he had. That he had to have because he needed it.

He dialled the number. It rung. His heart sped up.

"In need of more documentation?" a female voice said.

"I need a favour," he said.

"What kind of favour because I don't think I could get the higher ups to let you visit again."

"No. I need you to find someone for me."

"For?"

"I'm receiving threats. If it was just me...they know about Alexis. I need someone to protect her."

"So hire a bodyguard."

"I have but..."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"I thought that... maybe... you knew someone."

"I work for the CIA. Not a protection firm."

"Please."

She sighted. "I might know something. If I'm successful you will be contacted tomorrow. Do everything they tell you to, no questions."

"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you." the call had already disconnected.

The next morning a man had contacted him. He sounded young. He already knew who he was. His ex-wives. Who his mother was. He knew about Alexis, what high school she attended, her teachers, her schedules, what she did after school, her friends, where they lived what cars he owned...

He told him how to set a shell corporation for payment. They agreed on a set word if Alexis was ever in danger. Her first word. And a protocol of action. The man had said after any incident a twenty-four hour period of silence was essential to shake off police forces, pursuers and check for anyone spying them.

They set secure locations to meet that would be updated. They also talked about basic things Castle could do to protect his family and the man's fee.

Two days later a burner phone was at his door. The man would call him there in the event of an incident.

Now that he thought about it Castle realized he had never met the man. It seemed stupid now, but he had never thought Alexis would be in real danger. It was just a precaution. Until now.

Ryan called for them again. Espo, the FBI agent and him were reviewing camera footage.

"Searching for images of the shooting we got this. We got the story wrong." Ryan played the recording.

The two man they had found dead on the van pushed Sara and Alexis inside the Van. Caste already knew Alexis was in trouble but he had never imagined she had been kidnapped. Seeing it was a punch to the gut.

"Castle..." Beckett said. His eyes were focussed on the screen.

The van started. Sara's bodyguard intercepted it and emptied his magazine on the van. The run over him and continued at high speed. At the end of the ally the van crashed and a car blocked them .

A man clad in black and wearing a balaclava stepped out of the car and shoot the driver then took cover behind the car. The other kidnapped exploded out of the van's side door. The mystery man shot him in the chest.

The man walked to the van and helped Sara and Alexis out. Alexis resisted. The man said something. She stopped fighting. He hurried them to the car and drove off.

"What...what was that? That man interrupted a kidnapping to kidnap them himself?" Esposito said.

"He was trained. Two shots to deaths," Beckett said, "I want to know who he is and what he says to Alexis. She was fighting and stopped way?"


	2. Chapter 2

**One of The Advantages of Being Half Russian**

He parked in an underground parking lot. It was old and they still didn't have cameras. Perfect.

He had to swap cars. Three dead bodies meant police. Homicides. Kate Becket. And Kate Beckett would not stop until she found _her_. His target. The daughter of the man that had hired him. Richard Castle. Beckett's consultant. Partner.

Until he bought the killer to justice. Until she cuffed him.

He killed the engine. He could hear the girls moving in the backseat. On the rear mirror he saw them crowding into the car left door trying to make themselves a smaller target each of them trying to shield the other.

He stepped out of the car and opened the door for them. He had meant it as a show of good manners to put them at ease. He failed.

"Out. We need to leave." They were running out of time.

The other girl, Sara, complied. Alexis looked defiant. That was good, it would help her recover from this ordeal. Right now however it was a hindrance. He sighted.

"Please?"

She scooted out of the car. Her blue eyes zeroing on him. If looks could kill he would be already burning in hell.

"Let's go."

"No!"

She didn't take orders well. Not unexpected knowing his father.

"I thought we already established your father hired me to deal with situations like this. Now please..."

"So you say, but how do I know it's true?"

"Alexis, he saved us."

"No Sara he just killed two people in cold blood!"

Such idealist. It would crush her if she knew half of the shit that hid in the shadows outside the bubble her father had created for her. Well Castle had warned him about it.

"Your first word was denouement. How would I know that if it wasn't your father who sent me?"

"I don't remember my first word you could be making it up."

This was taking too long. They needed to go. "Your favourite stuffed animal when you were little was called Monkey Bunkey. Now could we please go?" That seemed to shut her up. He turned on them and started walking.

The weight from his gun disappeared. He turned around Alexis Castle had him at gun point. He had not expected that.

"I don't know who you are or how you know all those things but I won't go anywhere with a murderer!"

This was taking far too long. What did she think those guys would have done to her and her friend? It had to be the shock. She couldn't be so naive.

"Do you even know how to shoot?"

She swallowed. Her grip tightened until her knuckles turned white. That was what he had thought.

"That's what I thought. Give me that back before you hurt yourself or your friend. One tremor of your arm and, bum your friend has a whole on her chest."

"No! First take that thing of your face!"

No chance they knew each other even if she didn't know it.

"We don't have time for this..." He advanced on her. He grabbed the barrel twirled the gun and pointed it at her. Maybe Mr. Castle would not like that he pointed his gun at her daughter but they were running out of time.

"Good try. Now walk." He lead her to a car parked a few metres away. He unlocked it and popped the trunk open. "Inside." They could not see him leaving the parking lot with them that was part of the reason of swapping cars.

"Are you kidding? I'm not going to..." a gesture with the pistol was enough. You could not argue with guns.

He got in the car and drove. Careful not to step over the speed limit. Before leaving the parking lot he shrugged off the balaclava and threw it in the glove compartment. He would have to burn it later.

They reached their destination another underground parking lot. No cameras either. He put on the balaclava again and opened the trunk. He led them to the elevator. He inserted a key and the elevator took them to the fifth floor.

They stepped right into the luxurious apartment.

He turned on the stereo to classic music. No interferences when the girls crossed it. They didn't have wires on them.

"That's your room. I left fresh clothes and comfy shoes for you. You can try and see if they fit your friend as well. I'll bring you some food later." He said pointing to the door in front of them. They went in. He locked the door behind them.

He fired up the computer by the window and watched the cameras. All he had to do now was wait and see. And yet his gut told him something was wrong here. Castle had not been involved in dangerous cases as of late. There had not been any articles in any newspaper or recent book releases that could remind people of his wealth.

Yet the kidnappers were too amateur for it to be anything but a kidnapping for money.

Well they had been professional enough to end El-Masri's bodyguard. Idiot, shooting at the van like that. This was not war. He could have killed his charge.

His phone vibrated on his trousers. He tensed. No one knew that number, he had only used it to text Castle. He got up and draw his gun. He picked up.

"Yes?"

"Relax, we are on the same team." A male voice said. It sounded old.

"I doubt it. How did you get this number?"

"We have the same employer."

"I doubt it."

"You are protecting Alexis Castle, right?"

Silence.

"Is she alright?"

Silence.

"This is bigger than you think. Too big for you."

"Is that a threat?"

"A warning. An advice."

"So far this looks like a third rate kidnapping attempt."

"That was what he wanted it to look like. He needed time to get Alexis where he wanted her and if it looked like he kidnapped the other girl for money that would buy him time."

"He who?"

"I can't tell you. Not by phone."

"We are not meeting."

"Youngsters. You think you know everything. Let's say that there's a very dangerous Russian who has a grunge on the Castle's and he is using Alexis to lure other members of the family out."

"Mr. castle has no Russian... You are the grandfather."

"You know about me?"

"It turns out we do have the same employer. And I know how to do my job old man. Whatever that Russian wants with you doesn't concern me. My only..."

"It concerns you because now he wants Alexis! He won't stop!"

"Then stop him. It's not my problem." He cut the call. He could have asked who that Russian was but he had his own contacts. It was one of the advantages of being half Russian himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you very much for the follows, reviews and favourites. I would really apreciate comments about dialogs and writting style if you have any. (I know chapters are short, I'll make them longer). **

* * *

**Here**

Detective Javier Esposito stretched in his chair. Almost twenty for hours had passed and they still got nothing on their mystery man.

For a murder that wasn't so unusual, while the first twenty four hours were crucial, in the usual case that time was spent processing the crime scene and the body. Detectives interviewed witnesses and family. Sometimes if the murder was straight forward they might get the killer. But humans were twisted and complicated hence cases were not straight forward.

For kidnappings...in that case if the victim was not found in the first day things got difficult. After two days they might not find them at all. No. He couldn't think like that. One of the victims was Alexis and Castle would never forgive them if they didn't find his little girl.

Esposito squeezed a stress ball. If they had a single lead. Their dead man was El-Masri's bodyguard. Her father swore he didn't know a single thing about the second man. They had identified the kidnappers. Low level criminals.

The van they used was stolen. Only their prints and the girls' were on the van. No trace from a third party. Had their mystery man been an accomplice of the other two that had decided to betray them?

He doubted it the guy they were searching was a professional. Beckett was right he had training. That narrowed the search but not by much. He could be a veteran from any of the branches on the US military or from the intelligence community. That still left them with thousands of people, and that was not counting foreign vets.

He was not a common soldier. There was more finesse to him. But if he was right that only made their search harder. You couldn't go around fishing for information on that kind of people. Without a name or a picture of the man's face none of his contacts from his time in the Special Forces would tell him anything.

He had tried searching associates of the other two criminals but none matched their professional. Then what? Their two dead wanna-be kidnappers had been killed by a second kidnapper in search of the same girls or girl? That didn't make any sense.

Behind him Kevin hit the desk. He was the one revising the footage they had.

"Everything alright?" He said turning his chair.

"The car that man used was stolen. At least the plaque was because the number doesn't match the registered model. I followed it to a parking lot. The car never comes out, I called the owner but he just told me they have no cameras they could be anywhere."

"What about what he tells Alexis?"

"They are trying to decipher it, but what does it matter? That bastard probably threatened her."

Hey guys, anything?" Beckett said. Both detectives shook heads.

"Castle?"

"He has not come yet. Maybe he is still comforting his mother..."

"But?" Esposito said.

"Did you notice something strange about him?"

"Strange?"

"I don't know...he was quiet all day yesterday..."

"Kate his daughter had been kidnapped, he was in shock."

"And for most people that would have been fine, but not for Castle. He would have been shocked a few minutes, half an hour, maybe a whole hour. But then he would have been here trying to be part of the investigation questioning witnesses. He would have never gone home on o his own accord like he did."

"Then what do you think happens?"

"I don't..."

The elevator doors opened and Castle walked in holding to coffees as always. Ryan's phone rang.

"How is your mother doing?" Beckett said.

"My...fine...she's...worried but I convinced her to go to sleep."

"Are you sure?" Ryan said in the background.

"And you?" Silence. There it was. There was something that didn't fit. Castle should be hyperactive, sleep deprived, over-caffeinated maybe but not...

Ryan yanked castle by the collar. "What are you doing Kevin let go of him!" Ryan ignored them and dragged Castle to an empty room. Castle an Esposito followed.

"What the hell man!" Esposito said.

"Ryan, explain yourself!"

"That call was from the people analyzing the exchange between our mystery man and Alexis. He says; your father sends me," Ryan said puffing.

"Castle..." Beckett said.

"It's not what..."

"You had her kidnapped? Why?"

"You think I would kidnap my own daughter!" Castle said almost face to face with Ryan.

"It sure as hell looks like it!"

"Stop!" Beckett said. "Castle, explain."

"I can't. You have to wait a few more hours. Then I'll explain."

"We are not going to wait, either you explain or I'll arrest you for obstruction," Ryan said.

"I can't..."

Ryan got his handcuffs. "Richard Castle you are under arrest..."

"Stop! You are not going to arrest him. And you are going to tell us everything you know."

"I can't, Kate I can't."

"Castle if she's in danger I can't help her if you don't tell me what's going on."

"She is not in dang..."

"Are you sure? I don't know what you think you know but we have not been able to locate her in twenty-four hours."

Castle let himself fall in the coach. He rubbed his face. "It's part of the protocol ok. The person I contacted said if there ever was an incident I would receive a code word in my phone. Then there would be twenty-four hours of silence. Then a meeting point would be arranged."

"So basically you let someone trick you into not asking about your daughter for a day?" Esposito said.

"I didn't. Let. Anyone trick me!"

"How can you be so sure? Who is that person and why did you contact him?"

"Moths before I met you the ending of Derrick Storm was leaked. Some fans were furious. I received threats. One threat worried me. They knew my address; they threatened Alexis so I called a friend from the CIA. She got me in contact with another person."

* * *

_Castle turned in bed again. The red numbers of the clock glared at him. 05.00. He turned to the other side and closed his eyes. A ringtone woke him few minutes later. He reached for him phone. He felt along the nightstand. Something crashed on the floor. Castle looked to the floor. Through his glazed eyes he could see the clock. 06.11, it read. _

_He got hold of his phone. "Hello?" he said his voice hoarse from sleep._

_"Richard Castle?" Castle didn't recognize the male voice. He looked at the screen of his phone. He didn't recognize the number. _

_His heart speed up. It had to be another of those nut-jobs mad about Derrick Storm. He cleared his throat. "Who's asking?" _

_"My handler told me you are in need of my services." _

_"Services...?" _

_"Yes he told me you were very worried about some threats against your daughter." _

_Castle swallowed. "Yes." _

_"I already dealt with the problem. I left some evidence at the mailbox in your apartment building." The image of a severed head came to Castle mind. No a head did not fit in his mailbox. But a bloody finger did. _

_Castle sat on his bed, his blood running cold on his veins. "You killed him?" _

_"It was not necessary. The police was looking for the target. I left him at a station with a nice wrapping, but not without explaining to him what will happen if any harm came to your daughter because on him." _

_"Thanks..." _

_"This concludes our businesses Mr. Castle." _

_"Wait. Don't I have to pay you or something?" _

_"This time it's for free. My handler said it would be a good training and I made some contacts with New York finest. Enjoy."_

_"But...but what if I wanted to hire you to protect my daughter? Like a bodyguard?" _

_"I already have a job Mr. Castle and it's not executive protection." _

_Castle preferred not to think what this man's job was. "I'll pay you." _

_"Money it's not the issue here." _

_"Please it won't take too long. Just until after the release of the book." _

_The line went silent for so long Castle thought the man had hung up. "I'll talk to my handler. You will know the answer tomorrow." The call ended._

* * *

"The next day a burner phone was in my mailbox. He called. Told me he wanted thirty thousand a month if there were no incidents. He also said our deal was until the book was published, but the day after the book was published I got another call from him. He said he didn't what strings I had pulled but Alexis had been made his mission."

"Are you trying to tell me you know people important enough to redirect assets from the CIA?" Esposito said.

"No I didn't pull any strings..."

"And you never saw the guy?" Beckett said.

"No." Saying it out loud made it sound stupid.

"This could be all a ruse to kidnap Alexis," Ryan said.

"And the waited four years to get her? No," Esposito said.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is how we can find that man." Beckett said.

"We lost him at a parking lot. They are bringing us the car but I don't think we are going to get much from it." Ryan said.

"Now that we know Castle is the one paying him we could track the money."

"Look guys I don't think he is the bad guy he..."

"He killed two people Castle! I know you think he saved Alexis but he's a criminal. So do I have to ask for a warrant or will you let me access your bank account?"

Castle sighted. He was not sure anymore. "Fine."

"Castle," Esposito said, "you still got that phone? Maybe we could get something out of it."

"Or Castle could call him," Ryan said.

Castle handed a plain black phone to him. The phone chimed.

"Or maybe the killer calls..." Esposito said.

It was a text message. "Target safe. Plus one. Dropping point 2."

"Where's dropping point 2, Castle?" Beckett said.

"Here."


	4. Chapter 4

**If you are enjoying this fic you might also want to check out my other story set in HP universe called Blak Page. It has a similar theme and the same style. **

* * *

**Ruffling Feathers**

The 12th precinct erupted in a short of ordered chaos. Gates was barking orders. Bulletproof vest seemed to appear out of nowhere. Shotguns and MP5s were being handed out. Castle even saw a few officers carrying rifles. War machines that were out of place in New York. He saw four individuals carrying sniper rifles go to the roof to take positions.

All Castle could think was that there were too many guns. He knew those people were professionals but if just one of those bullets was off of the target...if the man he had hired decided to shoot back, and Alexis was in the wrong place...

Sometimes having a vivid imagination was a curse. This was one of such times. An image of Alexis lying on the street. Her blue eyes frozen open, no shine, no light left in them. Her lips parted. A medium size hole in her forehead, looking like a minor injury, a single tickle of blood running down her forehead.

"I want plain clothes officers ready to follow him just in case! Remember this man has two hostages our priority is to rescue them. Then and only then, after recuing the hostages we will attempt to capture the suspect." Gates voice brought him back to reality.

Officers started to take their designated spots.

_Ding. _The elevator doors opened. Castle had assumed it was blocked. Judging by the amount of firearms pointed at the doors so had assumed the rest of the people there. The metallic doors parted revealing Alexis and Sara. They wore different clothes and more comfortable shoes but they seemed to be unharmed.

All hell broke loose. Cops ran down the stairs. Ryan called the person in charge of the entrance to put the precinct under a full lock down. Those that remained upstairs stayed still and quiet.

"Hands behind your head now! On the ground!" Screams floated to the second floor. Whomever it was, was not resisting. No shots were heard. There was such silence that they could even hear the clicks when the suspect was cuffed.

The moment broke and Castle rushed to Alexis. Sara was already with her parents. He crushed her.

"I have never been so scared in my life."

"I'm ok dad. Just a little shaken."

"Are you really ok? Are you hurt?" He let her go and looked at her from head to toe.

"I'm ok. But dad, that man...he said..."

"I'll explain, later. For now let's go home your grandma is worried sick." As they went to the elevator they crossed the man that had just been arrested. He smiled at them.

"Castle! Where are you going? We need to ask Alexis some questions."

"Can't it wait? You already got him." Castle felt a painful pang. That man was arrested and was about to be charged with murder for protecting her daughter.

"Fine. Go home." They left. Kate Beckett allowed herself to smile for a moment. Then her face hardened. Questioning time for their mystery man.

Kate opened the door to the interrogation room and took a seat. The man smiled at her. He had his hands on the metallic table and maintained her look. He was calm. Late twenties, almost thirty. He wore a suit. Cheap. There was a seatbelt crease in his jacket. Manicured. Good watch. No wedding band.

Kate got his driving license they had confiscated moments before.

"Says here you are John McCormick."

"Correct."

"Well Mr. McCormick..."

"John, please."

"Well John. In case you don't know there's a lot of things a detective such as me can dig about a person knowing his name."

"Yeah, I watch The Mentalist and such it's so cool, you just write some poor bastard's name in the database and, bang! you know everything!"

"Well, today you are that person, John. That's how I know you work at the Federal Reserve as an analyst here in New York. Good cover."

"Cover for what?"

"For you being an assassin," Beckett said and opened the file with the crime scene photos inside. She laid them on the table."

"Oh my God! I'm going to puke."

"Cut the act. I'm not buying it."

"You, you think I did this? I don't own a gun! I don't even know how to shoot one!"

"Those girl, the ones that you brought here were about to be kidnapped by the two men you see in the photos when another person shot them and run away with both girls. That was two days ago. Today you brought them here."

"Yes, but I didn't kill anyone!"

"Then why were those girls with you!"

"Look, let's say you are right. Let's say my job is a cover. Then I wouldn't be able to talk about it, but maybe I had to escort two young women here as part of my job."

"It's very difficult to believe you if you don't speak clearly John."

"I can't. Look, I didn't do anything illegal. I want a lawyer."

"Fine." Beckett got up and stepped outside. A cop stepped in to keep a look on the suspect.

Esposito and Ryan came out of the viewing room.

"We got a problem."

"Yeah, he asked for a lawyer."

"No, not that. Height doesn't match the man on the recording." Esposito said.

"Plus Sara claims the other man got them in a car with this man."

"So he knows something."

"Not exactly, Sara says our mystery man got them in an empty car with a tinted screen preventing vision from the driver's seat."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

* * *

In the distance he spotted the man he was looking for. It was hard to miss him; torn, trousers, faded grey hoodie, wild look, looking everywhere every few seconds. Rubbing his nose constantly. He looked like a fucking movie cliché. It didn't matter, no one from this part of the city would remember him if the cops asked.

He pretended not to see him. He reclined in the wall next to him.

"Interested in buying?" he asked.

"Depends on what you are selling."

"A gun."

The man checked both sides of the corner he was posted in. "Let's see it."

He showed the man the Glock 19 he had used in his recent mission. Not his usual gear, but you didn't want to get nice gear dirty in an undercover operation. You might have to abandon it as was the case.

"This looks knew, no use at all. Why would you want to sell it? Are you a cop?!"

"Don't be stupid..." his phone rang. He picked up.

"You are ruffling some feathers over here," the caller said. His accent told him whomever it was, was from the motherland.

"What the hell man! We were talking here." The dealer said. He shushed him.

"Of what kind of bird" he said.

"Big, old-school one."

"Maybe that's what I wanted."

"Well, then you got it. He's moving. You'll meet in a day tops."

"And you are telling me because?" He heard a click. It wasn't the line. The dealer was pointing his Glock at him. "Excuse me for a minute will you?" He let the phone fall in his pocket.

He hit the man with his palm on the face disorienting him. Next was a knee to his testicles. He twisted his gun arm when he doubled over and elbowed his back. The man fall to the ground his knee followed him. He fished his phone from his pocket.

"Again. Why are you telling me this?"

"Fuck man! Let go! Ah! Please!."

"Let's just say not everyone thinks old times were better. Some of us want to cut ties with the old country but don't have enough power."

"In that case you owe me one."

"Come on man! You are going to break my arm!"

"As do you." The line cut.

He looked down at the dealer. "Don't ever point my own gun at me."

"Yes, yes, whatever man, but let go."

"I want three-hundred for the gun take it or leave it." He said, his knee still in the dealer's neck.

"Why would I want a dirty gun. That's what it is, isn't it you killed someone with it didn't you?"

"Three people. You could be the fourth. But this one could be useful for y..."

"How?!"

He put more pressure in his neck. "It's rude to interrupt people, didn't your mother tell you that? It is useful for you because I made sure there are no prints left in the gun."

"Ok. ok. Three hundred."

"Good." He let go of him. The exchanged goods.

That was the thing on his list. He had transferred the money and closed the accounts Castle had used to pay him first thing in the morning. He was sure Castle would tell on him as soon as Kate Beckett gave him a stern look. He supposed if you have not gone through anything worse in your life a hard look from Kate Beckett could count as an advance interrogation technique.

After that He had burned the clothes he wore that day, and the clothes the girls had left there. and thrown the ashes down the drain. He had bleached the apartment where he had kept the girls. He had made sure to wipe all surfaces where they might have touched.

The apartment was paid for three months. No reason for anyone to go there. The car was a long stay parking lot. In a few months someone would go get it there, re-registered and repaint it. The only trace left of the mission was the setup at Castle's house, but he still needed that.

Only one thing left to do. He dialled the familiar number. After two tones someone picked up. They didn't say anything but he could hear them breathing.

"I just receive an interesting call. The target is moving."

"Our intel confirms it."

"Orders ma'am?"

"Await for further instructions. You will be debriefed when the place and time are established."

"Yes ma'am."

"You'll have company."

"I don't need it."

"I'm sure you don't, but this comes from the higher-ups. You know what happens when we don't collaborate."

"They are civilians, ma'am!"

"Some have military background. Besides you will be the one carrying it all out. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am." The call ended. He let the phone fall on the floor and crushed it under his foot. He picked the pieces and threw them in a dumpster close by.

The end of the mission was close.


End file.
